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ELK RIVER ICE ARENA — ICE SYSTEM EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS <br />Option 1: Do Nothing — Maintain Existing Rink 1 Ice System <br />With a relatively new ice rink floor (8 -years old) and no current <br />major problems with the 31 -year old refrigeration system, the <br />City may elect to keep operating the existing system in the near <br />future and plan long term for its replacement. <br />The existing direct refrigeration ice systems in both Rinks 1 and <br />2, manufactured and installed by Holmsten Ice Rinks; were <br />commonly installed in arenas during the 1970's and 80's. The <br />design of this direct ice system is unique and has proven to <br />perform very well and be very efficiently. However, the system <br />is outdated and numerous concerns with the standard system <br />design and current code regulations have prompted facilities to <br />convert or change to indirect ice systems. These concerns <br />include: <br />• Aging equipment: Major improvements to the existing <br />refrigeration system will soon be required to extend its <br />safe and useful life. <br />• Safety: The direct ice system circulates R -22 refrigerant <br />in the ice rink floor, which is located in the occupied <br />space of the facility, potentially exposing spectators, <br />skaters and workers to leaking refrigerant as the floor <br />system ages. <br />• Environmental: The existing system uses a large volume <br />of R -22 refrigerant (approximately 4,000 Ibs) with a high <br />global warming potential (GWP) rating. R -22 <br />refrigerant is scheduled to be phased out of production <br />in the near future. <br />• Cost and future availability: As the phase -out date for <br />R -22 approaches, the cost will continue to increase. <br />Since 2005, the cost of R -22 refrigerant has risen 850 %. <br />Because of these concerns, we do not recommend replacing the <br />existing direct refrigeration system with a new direct <br />refrigeration system even though the rink floor is only 8 -years <br />old. Replacing the rink floor in 2004 with the same system was <br />a good option at the time given the high operating efficiency <br />and performance of the Holmsten direct system and the quality <br />of construction of the refrigeration system. Unfortunately, the <br />phase -out of R -22 refrigerant started to accelerate shortly after <br />construction of the new floor was completed. <br />U Steve n S 17 <br />